Miami Heat big man Bam Adebayo is extremely happy about Brittney Griner’s release from Russia.
The WNBA star is coming home after spending nearly an entire year detained in the foreign nation. She was released Thursday by virtue of a prisoner swap between the United States and Russia.
Adebayo spoke about the news.
“I’m so happy for BG,” he said. “I’m happy BG is coming home, man.”
The one-time NBA All-Star got to know Griner during the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
“Just from knowing her from the Olympics, she’s such a sweet girl,” Adebayo said. “She doesn’t bother anybody, minds her own business, stays in her own lane. I’m really happy that she gets to come back and see her family and just be back in her own bed. I feel like it’s going to be hard for her to get readjusted with the world. Because obviously, none of us have no idea what she was going through. When she gets back over and hopefully she tells her story one day, I feel like that would be a great story for people to hear.”
Griner’s nightmare began in February this year after vape cartridges containing hashish oil were allegedly found in her luggage at a Russian airport.
She was detained, and after a trial, she was sentenced to nine years in prison in August. That was a heartbreaking development in the eyes of many, though some saw it as an important step for negotiations to gain traction for her release.
In the end, the U.S. was indeed able to bring her home. It’s undoubtedly an emotional day for Griner and anyone close to her.
Adebayo is certainly not the only one in the sports world who is happy about the news. Countless others have also chimed in.
Adam Silver released a statement as well and thanked members of the basketball community who advocated for Griner during her detainment.
“Brittney has had to endure an unimaginable situation, and we’re thrilled that she is on her way home to her family and friends,” Silver said. “We thank the members of the NBA and WNBA community who never wavered in their efforts to raise awareness of Brittney’s unjust circumstances.”
As Adebayo mentioned, it would be powerful to hear Griner tell her story one day about the unimaginable things she experienced while detained. Of course, it may take her a while to get to a place where she’s ready to talk about it.
For now, the WNBA star is in a much better position than she was 24 hours ago, which is fantastic news for her and everyone around her.